Monday, October 17, 2011

Michael Pollan, Gluten and our Favorite New Snack

This morning we sent out our monthly morsels newsletter entitled “Gluten Free You and Me?” Gluten seems to be on many of our minds. Market Melissa is going to tell you more about our take on the GF scene.

Not so long ago gluten free was reserved solely for those with celiac disease. Now gluten free regimes are we being utilized by people with digestive issues, athletes, headache sufferers, those with skin conditions such as eczema, children with ADHD and autism and individuals with extreme fatigue. Six percent of the population suffers from a condition called gluten senstivity, where consumption of gluten can cause unpleasant side effects such as gas and bloating. At Foodtrainers, we don’t see this as another dietary flash in the pan; this is way more than a fad.

The question remains, why do we all of a sudden see a surge in not only celiac disease, but also the incidence of gluten sensitivity? Tthe number of people being diagnosed has increased due to awareness on the part of the doctors and patients but surely there must be something else at play. One viable hypothesis is the idea that our wheat has changed, increasing the amount of gluten, and therefore causing a negative response in some people.

“Could it really be that bread, a staple of Western civilization for 6,000 years, is suddenly making millions of us sick? I'm dubious.” What struck a cord with me was that, in the same article, Pollan mentions changes in our production of meat, poultry, milk and even rice. A few paragraphs after gluten he says, “Yes, it's true that people have been eating white rice for centuries. But the rice has changed, and so have we. Millers today do a much more thorough job of "polishing" rice than they once did — that is, whitening it by removing the nutritious bran and germ from the grain. (The same is true of "white flour" as well — it's a whole lot whiter now than it used to be and therefore less nutritious. Nice going!)" We’ll give Michael Pollan a pass, he’s hard at work on a new book and perhaps he hasn’t had the time to research gluten the way he should.

Many share Pollan's skepticism yet issues with gluten are real; when some people avoid it they feel better. This is something those of us who study our food system shouldn’t ignore. In addition to the gluten content of wheat, according to the USDA we are consuming more wheat now than we used to. There’s also some who note that the type of yeast used has changed. Yeast used to be mostly slow rise for bread. This increase rising time allowed more time to ferment. Fermentation produces organisms crucial to gut health. The gluten puzzle isn’t solved but pieces are coming together, stay tuned.

OK, enough ranting. For me, no post is complete without a good product find. There are a lot of duds in the gluten free category but we found a gem. Our friends over at Sheffa, who produce delicious snack mixes, have come out with a bar in four delicious flavors: Rosemary, Sesame, Spicy and Everything. What makes these bars unique is that they aren’t sweet, thus the name Savory. They are gluten free, nut free, soy free and vegan. Turns out you can please everyone. So what’s in it? A mix of brown rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth, chickpeas, sunflower seeds and a touch of olive oil, offering up 7g of fiber and 4g of protein. We promise you’ll fall in love too. You can snag some in our gluten free bundle or be on the lookout for them in stores this month.

So tell us, why do you think there is a rise in celiac and gluten intolerance cases? Do you currently follow a gluten free diet? Any GF products you are currently crushing on?

25 comments:

I think there has been an increase in the number of celiacs over the years. I believe it is because of heightened physician awareness. Interesting theory about whether it is because of a change in wheat composition but I have a hard time believing that. If that were the case there would be a lot more people with the disease as bread is pretty ubiquitous in American households and yet the disease prevalence is around 1% in the US.

I don't think it's all about physician awareness because many people, such as those with gluten sensitivity aren't diagnosed per se. As for the changes in wheat our gluten content in our pasta, for example, is much higher than than in Italy. Just because something changes with food, doesn't mean everyone reacts (as with food dyes etc). It's probably a combination of environmental factors. There's also the hygiene hypothesis. I see what you're saying though Sam.

I am still unsure why what Pollan said about rice is so contradictory? What were you trying to point out there? Rice is gluten free, and I think he was just trying to say that wheat isn't the only staple that has changed throughout the years, even rice, which is gluten free, has changed too. Right?

Either way, I have to say that there is something to this whole gluten mystery. Just like the rise in cases of allergies, I tend to think there is a connection somewhere with gluten. I'm excited to find out what it is. We have a doctor here in C-bus who seems to be putting everyone on a GF diet, for reasons that are unknown to me. He thinks EVERYONE is gluten sensitive. I think it's ludicrous, but.....maybe he knows something I don't! I guess it's hard for me to believe him since he's also the same person who says nuts and walnuts are killing us. Oh, and flaxseed. Yeah, he's crazy.

Gina- Pollan has wheat has NOT changed/doesn't see how it could and then that rice has, will clarify. good point you make about allergies the hygiene hypothesis sort of unites the. While that doctor seems a little questionable I too think many people better with less wheat although gf isn't for everybody. Jaime, I will check out Wheat Belly. Thank you.

I definitely believe that gluten sensitivity is a real, problematic thing. However, I also think that self-diagnosed gluten sensitivity is on the rise, and that sometimes - not always, not most of the time, but sometimes - it's adopted by people to facilitate disordered eating. I know several women (and no men) with gluten sensitivities. One really does get sick when she eats gluten. Two other women - well, I can't help but wonder if they use gluten sensitivity as an excuse to restrict food. These are the same girls who were vegan for a while, then sugar-free, then fat-free...all of these lifestyle choices are explained using health language, but none of them stick and they all result in the same thing: food restriction.

I don't believe it's physician awareness to explain the rise in gluten sensitivity/intolerance. There doesn't seem to be any clear answers yet...For years my husband had migraines, psoriasis flair-ups, and IBS symptoms. We started experimenting with different changes in his diet and when we took gluten out everything got better. He no longer has migraines, his psoriasis is under control and he has no IBS symptoms. He tested negative for the celiac panel so we've concluded that it must be a sensitivity/intolerance to gluten.It's like you have to diagnose yourself because when he went to the doctor all they did was test for celiac disease and when that came back negative there was really no other testing done.

I also notice that I have an easier time digesting gluten-free grains/flours like rice, quinoa, oats, etc... I anxious to read more about this subject!! Great post =)

Lisa, we hear so many stories like your husband's. I was having serious swelling above my eyes and thought maybe detergent or sulfites in wine- it was wheat and when I eat it, it returns. Your realize what a tool diet is when you can see such improvements in your health. Stephanie, I can see what you're saying and removing a food group can be restrictive but I don't object to people removing gluten just to try it, symptoms aside. For some, they feel a difference in areas they hadn't felt needed improvement.

I hadn't read Michael Pollan's article, but definitely believe there are some environmental factors at play in regards to the increased incidences we are seeing of both celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, especially after hearing Dr. Fasano speak to this issue at FNCE. He did not single out 1 reason but instead discussed the possible combination of reasons including the higher percentage of gluten in wheat these days, along with the fact that we eat more wheat now than we used to, plus our GI tracts may no longer be well equipped to tolerate gluten (I.e. They may be too clean!). Interestingly, when one person in the audience asked Dr. Fasano if he eats wheat, he replied, "Yes, but I do try to minimize the amount I eat.". He doesn't say everyone has celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, but does believe that gluten causes "leakiness" to a certain degree in everyone's GI tract. Haven't tried those Sheffa bars yet....Will have to check them out!

After several years of my subtle nudges towards the possibility of avoiding gluten my husband finally got sick of always having GI problems and fatigue. After cutting out most gluten he almost immediately felt better. I still want him to get tested just to completely rule out celiac but likely he is one of the gluten sensitive individuals. I am hoping we learn more and more about why this is occurring but I do believe it is a combo of awareness and most definitely environmental influences.

I was told that I had a gluten-sensitivity. So I avoided gluten for 2 + years. And then, all of a sudden, I was told it wasn't gluten after all but corn/shellfish/peanuts. And since I've been avoiding those things (all nuts actually) I have been doing much better. Even though I am eating real bread!

I have to say that some of the gluten alternatives utilize flours that affect my system really negatively - like tapioca. When I cut all that out I felt so much better!

My point is that often times the medical community isn't sure what a person has and thus they tell us to avoid certain foods in hopes that it will help. But for me that isn't the case!

Thanks for the info and the bar review. I enjoy sweet snacks, but since they usually leave me craving even more sweet treats, I stick to savory ones when possible. (or fruit and veg, but let's face it - that doesn't always happen!)

I have no idea if I have any issues w/ gluten, but I do feel better since giving it up for the cleanse. (Then again, my overall diet is so clean on the cleanse that it would be hard to pinpoint one food factor.)

I'm looking forward to trying the Sheffa bars. I tried the Purely Elizabeth's granola you mentioned in the newsletter, and that stuff is like crack. It's what I've always wanted granola to taste like.

I have to admit that I DO feel like some of the gluten=free foods are just trendy (and it ANNOYS me!). Also, MANY people feel that just bc something IS gluten-free it is somehow healthier, lower in calories, etc. I just feel like there is WAy too much misinformation out there. Not everyone has to be gluten-free to be healthy.

I will say that the rise in celiac and gluten sensitivity can probably directly be related to over consumption...just like children who have milk allergies. If their parents didn't give them 8 glasses a day, they might not have such an intolerance.I know I"m ranting and dont have enough time to spend to make my comment make enugh sense. Basically, I agree and disagree with this post but it definitely provides EXCELLENT perspective!

I think that, while gluten sensitivity/celiac may actually be on the rise, my feeling is that it's not actually rising as much as the numbers say - a good bit of it is probably due to increased awareness and diagnosis (sometimes by a physician and sometimes by the patient). Some of these cases are real and some are probably imagined. I agree with the earlier commenters who have said that some of it may be due to overconsumption of grains - if we all stopped eating things like pasta, bread, and cake/cookies, I bet a lot of us would start to feel better.

I think it's great that those who really have celiac or gluten intolerance are being diagnosed and have more and more gluten-free options in the markets. But, I do think there might be a little something to Pollan's argument that people have been eating gluten for centuries and it's only recently that we have so many problems with it. It's just that we can't tell what the actual cause is - whether it's because we're eating too much, because the grains/gluten themselves have changed due to the overprocessing, or because our bodies have started to evolve (or maybe something else entirely).

Jen, I totally agree if you stop pasta you feel better but many people then don't feel good even with small amounts. In counseling clients I have a good sense it is "something". This is where I don't think Pollan has a handle on an issue, it is too large an issue to dismiss as we haven't had a problem with grains for all these years. We did n't have peanut allergies either are those fictional? OK I'm passionate about this as you can see. Erin- I appreciate your perspective. First hand, I've seen the difference and while gluten free is a trend I think the rise in "issues" with gluten is not. Marie- love purely elizabeth maybe a little too much. Tiff you crack me up, we can all afford to be more savory esp when the snacks are delicious.

I think gluten sensitivity, as well as other food sensitivities are on the epidemic rise. There are probably many factors involved, but the main one might be environmental. Take away the pollution, the pesticides/herbicides we breath and eat, the GMO, the sugar and all its derivatives and substitutes, the antibiotics and tons of medicine the typical American consume and our GI tract might actually work better.

Good post Lauren! I do believe that more Americans are being properly diagnosed with celiac disease, however, gluten intolerance is mostly self-diagnosed. There are many confounding factors that could be related to "gluten intolerance" that it is hard to say if it has anything to do with just the protein. Many of the clients sent to me by doctors are overweight and consuming large portions of everything, so is it the protein or just the amount in general?

I think it is interesting in how many people have gluten sensitivity. Some choosing to avoid in mainly due to hearing the buzz that actually don't need to though. I mean, with Elizabeth Hasselback even writing a book about gluten free diets and losing weight.

Healthy Apron brought up a great point about possible overconsumption of these foods. That is an interesting angle.

Natalie, I agree. Who knows the effect of all of this assault on our immune system. Brooke I think there are variables that affect gluten intolerance but I think if you remove it and someone feels undeniably better that can be helpful. Kristen, I see what you're saying and overconsumption of anything can make you feel poorly but many people with average consumption and chronic GI issues or other symptoms feel better.

Thank you for recommending this book. The wheat of today is not the wheat of 6000 years ago! We are essentially being "poisoned". How often do you hear or read in the news about Type 2 diabetes and obesity? And we have to get off HFCS too! It is often used in bread – a double whammy. Watch Dr. Robert Lustig's video on YouTube: "Sugar: The Bitter Truth". The mantra: "Everything in moderation." is simply wrong.Greg Shea (Lake Cowichan)